Fate Zero Shinobi
by DocHoliday0316
Summary: When Naruto tries to summon Gamabunta, he instead summons a young woman by the name of Saber. Now the Elemental Nations are about to experience its first ever Holy Grail War! Crossover with Fate/Zero. Original Idea by The Infamous Man. No pairings.
1. The Summoning of Heroes

**Fate/Zero Shinobi**

 **Chapter 1: The Summoning of Heroes**

Opening Song: "disillusion -2010-" by Sachi Tainaka (Fate/Stay Night)

Ending Song: "Shinkokyu" by Super Beaver (Naruto Shippuden)

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own _Naruto_ or _Fate/Zero_. They are the respective properties of Masashi Kishimoto and Gen Urobuchi.

* * *

[Unknown Location, Konohagakure, Land of Fire]

 _Current Time..._

Wind blew past Naruto's face and howled in his ears as he fell down the ravine. The young shinobi began to think about how he got into this. He had been training with Jiraiya to prepare for the Chunin Exam's final rounds. The Toad Sage had taught him how to summon Toads … which Naruto admit that he was terrible at. At best, he could summon tadpoles or partial transformed toads. In order to speed up his training and summon the boss toad, Gamabunta, Jiraiya decided to take a gamble and push Naruto off a cliff and into a ravine located in the middle of nowhere. He did this in an attempt to allow Naruto to access the Kyuubi's chakra more easily by forcing Naruto into a situation where he would be forced to access it or die (Jiraiya was quick to realize Naruto was more capable of learning things under pressure). The young shinobi's thoughts began to rush through his head.

" _D-damnit! I can't die here! I WON"T die here! There's so much I have to do with my life! Come on, you damn fox, give me your chakra or we're both going to die!_ "

With that, Naruto bit down on his thumb and let blood cover his entire hand. Gathering up as much chakra as he could, he then went through the appropriate handsigns as one thought went through his mind.

" _Well, here goes nothing…_ "

" **Summoning Jutsu!** "

* * *

[Unknown Dimensions]

 _Elsewhere..._

In a world between worlds, there rested a device. A device that chose seven specific mages, who were to summon a servant, a legendary hero reborn anew. These servants would fight to the death in an event that could only be described as a war. The mages would kill each other or do the cruelest things imaginable. And it was all for this device, which would grant a single wish. No matter what that wish was, it would be granted.

And this device was known as the Holy Grail.

However, it was not the chalice that Jesus Christ and his disciples drank from during the Last Supper. But it was majestic and powerful enough to warrant that name. Unbeknownst to the mages, the grail had become corrupted during the last war, in an act of defiance from one of the servants.

" **Summoning Jutsu!** "

The conscience inside of the grail grinned to itself as it heard the boy's shout. It no longer had to late for the next Grail War to escape. It had found a way out! The grail quickly searched the world that the boy came from for suitable masters, and gave them each a servant that was originally intended for the Fourth Holy Grail War.

Poor Naruto had no idea that he had just opened a can of worms.

* * *

[Unknown Location, Konohagakure, Land of Fire]

 _Back with Naruto…_

Smoke came out of Naruto's hands, just like his other failed summonings. What differ from the rest was that it had a faint red glow to it. The young shinobi suddenly felt something catch him. He suddenly looked behind him and widened his eyes in surprise.

The person who caught him was a girl, who appeared to be in her late teens, and had a presence of nobility with her. She wore a blue dress with silver armor covering it. She had golden blonde hair kept up in a bun with a few strands framing her face, and an ahoge that appeared on the top of her head. Lastly, she had emerald green eyes that were cold and professional.

Naruto could only think of one thing as he looked upon his rescuer.

" _She's real pretty._ "

"Hang on," the girl said as the two headed towards one of the ravine's walls. She suddenly dug her heels into the wall, and they began to gradually slow down. The girl then jumped upwards to the next wall before kicking off it. This process repeated for some time until they reached the top of the ravine, where the girl put Naruto down in front of a shocked Jiraiya.

While this was happening, six other servants were being summoned.

* * *

[Akatsuki Hideout]

 _Meanwhile..._

Tobi's one visible eye narrowed as he looked at the strange seal array that suddenly appeared on the floor. He didn't know what to make of this. He doubt that the late Minato Namikaze, or even the Uzumaki clan could figure out what kind of seal this was. The seal began to glow red, and the present Akatsuki members (with the exception of Itachi and Kisame, who were not there) were taken off guard by this. Pein, Konan, and Tobi remained calm as a figure suddenly emerged from the seal and stepped forward.

The figure was a fairly tall man who appeared to be in his twenties. He had golden blonde hair that stood up like a blazing flame, and had crimson eyes that were colored like blood. Judging by Konan's reaction, he was fairly handsome; with an elegant face that looked like the Gods themselves carved it. He wore golden armor, completed with golden earrings and a red cape, which started at his waist and ended at his ankles. The man stood there with his arms crossed, giving off an air of arrogance.

" _What the hell just happened? Who is this man?_ " Tobi thought to himself as he looked down at his right hand. On it was a marking. It took the form of a bird with two crescent moons, one larger than the other, on top of it.

* * *

[Unknown Location, Land of Fire]

 _Meanwhile..._

Sasuke tensed as the seal array glowed in front of him. He was training with Kakashi for the finals of the Chunin Exams and was taking a break when the seal appeared. The seal flashed red, and a person suddenly appeared before him. It was a young man with an athletic build similar to a runner's. The man had quirky black hair that was lazily combed back, with a lock of hair that framed his forehead. He wore a dark teal colored outfit that was sleeveless on the right side while the left side had a sleeve that ended at his bicep. The outfit had a few pieces of armor on it, including a spaulder on his left shoulder. In his hands were two spears, both covered in purple bandages. The one in his left hand was around a meter and a half long and had a yellow spearhead. The one in his right was two meters long and had a red spearhead. However, the most noticeable thing about the man was a beauty mark located under his right eye.

The Uchiha clansman stepped back as the young man suddenly kneeled in front of him. Sasuke then felt a burning sensation on his hand and looked down at it. On the back of his right hand was some sort of crimson seal. It resembled a lance with a pair of wings and two flames on the side of it.

" _What is this?_ " Sasuke wondered to himself.

* * *

[Konoha Hospital, Konohagakure, Land of Fire]

 _Meanwhile..._

Hinata shook in fear as a man emerged from the seal that appeared on the floor of her room. The man was a giant, standing at least seven feet tall. He possessed a very muscular and chiseled figure, and across his body were various scars, which were signs of previous battles. The man's hair and beard color were scarlet, and he wore bronze armor of some sort along with cuffs and greaves. Draped upon his shoulders a thick red mantle that had fringes on the collar and edge. The mantel looked luxurious, like a curtain from the stage of a theater. The man possessed a presence that gave the impression that he commanded thousands of soldiers and led them into many battles.

" _W-what's going on?_ " Hinata thought to herself as the man looked over her. The Hyuga heiress suddenly grimaced as she felt her hand burn. She looked down at it, and on it was a seal. It resembled a stylized broadsword pointing up with two wings on the side of it.

* * *

[Somewhere in the Land of Fire]

 _Meanwhile..._

Itachi's eyes widened as a figure suddenly came out of the ground. The figure appeared to be a knight wearing pitch black armor. Parts of the armor looked jagged. A purplish-black smoke came out from the joints and opening of the armor, obscuring its features. The visor of the helmet gave off a hellish red glow. The knight stared at Itachi for a bit before letting out a low, guttural growl.

"Who is this? Hey, you know this guy, Itachi?" Kisame asked as he gripped the hilt of Samehada.

"I don't," Itachi answered as he looked down at the back of his hand. It now had a crimson seal on it, resembling three jagged blades going off in different directions.

* * *

[Kazekage's Office, Sunagakure, Land of Wind]

 _Meanwhile..._

Orochimaru smirked to himself as he sat in the Kazekage's office. He had killed the fool and taken his place, and no one had suspected a thing. So far, everything had been going to plan…

…except for one detail.

A strange seal array had appeared in the room, and a person had emerged from it. It was a man who stood at six foot four. He had wild grey hair , bulging eyes that looked like they belonged on a fish, and his skin had a pale color to it. He wore a grey black robe with strange designs on it, along with a cloak. In his claw-like hands was a book that looked like It was made out of human flesh. On its cover was a face that seemed to be screaming in agony.

Orochimaru looked at the man in front of him before eyeing his hand. On it was a seal that had a sickle like design to it. The smirk on the Snake Sannin's face grew as he thought to himself.

" _Kukuku, this is certainly an interesting development._ "

* * *

[ROOT Headquarters, Konohagakure, Land of Fire]

 _Meanwhile..._

Danzo Shimura stared down at the person in front of him. He appeared via a strange seal that suddenly appeared in the middle of the room. It was a man who was lean yet had an athletic build to him. He had dark skin, lacked a shirt, and his pants looked like black rags. On his arms were what appeared to be brown metal armbands, and his belt were a pair of curved knives. The most notable thing about him was a bone white skull mask that covered his face.

The warhawk's expression remained neutral as he looked down at his good hand. A crimson seal appeared on it, resembling zig-zags that intercepted each other, but were somehow still separate.

" _This is most unexpected? What does this mean?_ " Danzo thought to himself.

* * *

[Unkown Location, Konohagakure, Land of Fire]

 _Back With Naruto..._

"Naruto, are you alright? And who is this girl?" a shocked Jiraiya asked as he stared at the young woman in front of him.

"I-I don't know," Naruto said as he gathered his bearings. He then suddenly felt a burning sensation on his hand, like if someone was carving into it with a red hot poker. He flinched and then look down at his hand. A marking appeared on his hand. It looked like a four point star, with the point at the bottom being much larger than the other three points. It reminded Naruto of a sword.

The girl eyed the seal on his hand. She then looked into his eyes and spoke in a stoic tone.

"Upon your summons, I have appeared. Now, I must ask of you… are you my master?"

The seven servant classes of Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Berserker, Caster, and Assassin had been summon to the Elemental Nations. The land was about to experience its first Holy Grail War.

Next Time - The Worst Possible Time: What is the Holy Grail War?

 **A/N** : Welcome to the first chapter of _Fate/Zero Shinobi_! First off, I have to give credit to the Infamous Man for coming up with this idea. Unfortunately, he said that he had left the Naruto genre, so I decided to ask him if I could write this fic, and he gave me his permission. I suggest that you check out his own excellent Fate/Zero crossover fic, _Just an Unorthodox Thief,_ along with his other stories. Now you may have noticed that I've changed up a few of the master/servant pairings. I mainly did this for my own preferences. I'll also try to update this story as frequently as I can, since I have college work to do along with updating my other stories. Now don't forget to leave a review.


	2. The Worst Possible Time

**Chapter 2 - The Worst Possible Time: What Is The Holy Grail War?**

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_ or the _Fate_ series, _Fate/Zero_ included. They are the respective properties of Masashi Kishimoto and Gen Urobuchi/TYPE-MOON.

Don't forget to fave, follow, and review

[Unknown Location, Konohagakure, Land of Fire]

Recap:

The girl eyed the seal on Naruto's hand. She then looked into his eyes and spoke in a stoic tone.

"Upon your summons, I have appeared. Now, I must ask of you… are you my master?"

 _Current Time..._

"Master...?" Naruto asked in confusion as the girl continue to stare at him. For some reason, her voice reminded him of Sakura's. He looked down at the marking on his hand before looking back at the girl.

"I… I guess so..."

The girl nodded at Naruto before beginning to speak.

"Good. The pact is complete then. I am the servant Saber. My sword will henceforth be at your side. Your fate is henceforth my fate."

"…Huh?!" was all a dumbfounded Naruto could say in response.

Jiraiya suddenly snapped out of his shock and addressed the now named Saber... by bombarding her with a lot of questions.

"Alright, what the hell is going on? Who are you? Where did you come from? And what do you mean that Naruto being your master?"

"It's rather simple. I am his servant for the Holy Grail War," Saber answered as Naruto and Jiraiya stared at her, now even more confused.

"Grail War... what the hell is that?" Naruto asked.

Saber let out a sigh before she replied.

"I see... it's as I thought. You do not know about it at all. Very well, then, I shall explain it to you so please listen," Saber said as Jiraiya helped Naruto get to his feet. She had already assumed that her master did not know, though only because of the fact that he was a twelve-year-old boy just hitting puberty. The Heroic Spirit than began to explain the situation while two shinobi began to pay attention to what she was about to say.

"The Holy Grail War is a conflict that occurs once every 60 years between seven mages, each of whom summons a Heroic Spirit, someone who has achieved great deeds in life. The seven servants battle each other alongside their masters in a battle to the death until one pair is left standing. The last Master and Servant will gain the Holy Grail, which will grant them one wish. Each of the servants are split into seven classes, them being Archer, Assassin, Berserker, Caster, Lancer, Rider, and Saber. As I said before, I am of the Saber servant class. The mark on your hand designates you as one of the seven mages selected to partake in the Holy Grail War and, as a result, I am to fight on your side until the very end," Saber explained, the girl facing Naruto as she said that last part.

A slew of alarm bells now rang in the Toad Sage's head as he then asked even more questions.

"Hold on, how is such a thing even possible? I've never heard of a war that occurs every fifty years; how has such a conflict occurred without anyone knowing? And why was Naruto picked for something dangerous?" Jiraiya questioned, and for good reason.

Even though he wasn't there for most of Naruto's life, Jiraiya did care about his godson and he didn't like the fact that he was suddenly thrown into a battle royale against six other resurrected heroes. He especially found it unnerving that the masters were apparently chosen at random and, depending on who was chosen, the results could be disastrous.

"The Grail is the one who chooses the seven masters, and I don't know how it goes about making the selections. You do not need to worry, though; as per the rules of the Grail War, and on my honor as a knight, it is my duty to protect my master."

At this point, Naruto decided to talk to his servant.

"Hey... I have a question for you," Naruto said.

"What is it, master?" Saber asked, before Naruto instantly threw his question at her.

"What's your real name?"

"What do you mean?" Saber asked.

"Well, you said that Saber is just a class, so it's obviously not your real name. I don't really know what I did or what's really going on, but it sounds like we're going to have to stick together, so I think it wouldn't hurt to at least know your actually name."

"I'm afraid that would be unwise, master. An enemy could find out my real identity and what my abilities are. My name, as it stands now, is Saber-"

"Oh, come on! First you said, that we're supposed to fight some giant battle together and now you say I have to trust someone who won't even tell me their real name?! Saber isn't a name, it's a damned label and I don't use labels!" the boy spat out.

As this first conversation between Saber and Naruto got off to a less than harmonious start, the Toad Sage was deep in thought.

" _This is not good. How have I not heard of this 'Holy Grail War'? Hmmm... it could be that... but I'd have to wait to see how this Saber girl reacts to what she see before I can say for sure._ "

Pushing whatever theories he had to the back of his mind for the time being, Jiraiya continued to think about what the ramifications of these events could be.

" _Who else was chosen for this? What if someone like Orochimaru was selected as one of the masters? What if someone in the Akatsuki was chosen? This could lead to a disaster if we don't act fast. I'll have to talk to Sarutobi-sensei about this; this is far too important to ignore. And I'll have to postpone Naruto's Summoning Jutsu training for the time being... which means I'll have to teach him THAT jutsu instead..._ "

* * *

[Akatsuki Hideout]

 _Meanwhile…_

The gold armored man continued to stare at the gathered Akatsuki members. The tension in the room was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Silence permeated the room for several minutes...

...until Hidan decided to break it by addressing the golden man the only way he knew how.

"Hey, blondie! Hey, I'm talking to you, you glittery faggot. Who the fuck are you?"

The golden man's attention suddenly shifted to the immortal. He glared at him intensely before speaking, his voice having a haughty, arrogant tone to it.

"You filthy mongrel! You would dare insult _me_ , the one true king?"

"King? Don't make me laugh, you fucking prick! Glittery asshole is a better name for ya!" Hidan spat.

Suddenly, what appeared to be a bright, golden glowing portal appeared above the man. Several different weapons, ranging from swords, axes, spears, and other bladed weapons began to peak out from the portal. All of them were made of precious metals and were glistening in the light of the portal. The weapons were then fired out of the portal, aiming where Hidan was standing. The Akatsuki members near the cultist moved out of the way to avoid being hit. A large cloud of dust was created as the weapons hit their target. The cloud then cleared, revealing Hidan. He had several weapons sticking out of his body, with blood coming out of his wounds. His left arm had been torn clean off, and the lower half of his body was now nothing but a gnarled mess. Hidan gave off a cocky grin at the golden man before addressing him.

"You fucking dumbass! Did you really think that would have killed me? I'm fucking immor-"

However, that was the only thing the Jashin cultist was able to say before a broadsword took off his head, silencing him. The golden man then spoke to Hidan's body.

"Good riddance. An unruly dog that insults the king deserves to be put down."

The golden man turned towards where Madara was standing. The weapons that had impaled Hidan suddenly disappeared in a shower of golden sparkles.

"I assume that you are my master?" the golden man said as he eyed the command seals on Madara's hand.

"I suppose I am," Madara said, the masked man being completely taken aback by this turn of events, as the golden man gave a nod in acknowledgement.

"Very well. The contract is complete. I am the servant Archer of this Holy Grail War."

"Holy Grail War?" Madara questioned as Archer raised his eyebrow in interest.

"So you don't know of it? I figured someone like you would not be aware of it. I shall explain it to you; pay close attention, however, because I won't repeat myself."

Archer then began to explain the Holy Grail War, including the other servants, the relationship between master and servant, and ultimately, the Grail itself.

" _How interesting... if what he says is true, perhaps this Holy Grail War could help us bring us closer to our goals_.," Madara thought to himself as he processed the information that he had received from Archer.

Madara was interrupted from his thoughts, however, when he heard the sounds of footsteps coming from the entryway. He, the gathered Akatsuki members, and Archer turned towards where the sound was coming from. Three figures then stepped into the room. The first two figures were Itachi and Kisame. However, the third was a figure unknown. It was a rather tall man dressed in black armor reminiscent of a knight. Itachi then addressed Madara.

"Madara-sama, there has been a rather… unexpected development. Kisame and I were coming to the meeting when this man suddenly appeared out of a seal array. And these appeared on my hand."

Itachi then showed his right hand to his fellow members, revealing his command seals. Archer then decided to comment on this revelation.

"Hm. So it appears that you were selected as one of the masters. And it appears that you received the mad dog as your servant."

"Master?"

"So it seems you don't know about it either," Archer said in an annoyed tone.

"Since your servant can not explain things for you, then I will have my master explain things. I have already explained thins to him, and I do not want to waste my breath and my time repeating myself."

"Well, here's the apparent situation," Madara said as explained the concept of the Grail War to Itachi. The young man's eyes widened as he took in all of this information.

"I never heard of a war that occurs every sixty years," Itachi said as he put his hand on his chin in thought.

At this point, his servant (who, according to Archer, was known as Berserker), decided to look up at Archer. He gazed at him through his hellish red visor. The golden servant responded by sneering at the Servant of Madness.

"Who gave you permission to look upon me, rabid dog."

The golden portals opened up above him again, and the tips of an axe and a spear peaked out of it. Archer then spoke to Berserker.

"May your death provide with a mere modicum of entertainment, mongrel!"

The two weapons then shot out of the portal like speeding bullets. They both headed to where Berserker was, and a large cloud of dust was kicked up as the collided with him.

"Huh. Well, it was nice knowing him," Kisame said as Itachi looked upon the scene, his Sharingan activated. He then spoke to his partner.

"Not quite, Kisame. In fact, he's perfectly fine."

Before Kisame could reply, the cloud of dust then cleared. It revealed that Berserker was still standing, looking no worse for wear. In his hand was the axe that Archer had fired at him. Only now, it was now pitch black and had red markings over it, looking very similar to the color of his visor.

"He grabbed the axe before it could strike him and used it deflect the spear," Itachi explained to his partner as Berserker tossed the axe away, no longer having a need for it. Archer glared at the mad dog who had escaped death.

"You would dare lay your filthy hands upon my treasures?!" he said as more golden portals appeared above him, all manners of weapons sticking out of them.  
"You must really want to die, mongrel!"

Itachi quickly rushed to his servant's aid, standing between the golden servant and the black knight. He knew if he didn't do something, then things would escalate out of control very quickly.

"Stop this, please."

"You wish to join your servant in death?"

"No. I just ask that you spare Berserker for now," Itachi said, and he continued on before Archer could even reply.

"Your master and I were already working together towards a single goal. As a result, we are more or less allies in this Holy Grail War. Besides, with Berserker aiding you, you'll have a greater chance at winning the war," Itachi said, though he was lying through his teeth with regards to that first sentence.

Archer listened intently, and after a few seconds, the golden portals disappeared.

"Fine. The mad dog lives for now... but he will not escape his punishment. Once all of the lesser servants are defeated, I kill him myself."

Itachi let out a breath in relief, having narrowly dodged a bullet.

However, this brief moment of respite was interrupted by the sound of mad laughing. Archer and the rest of the Akatsuki looked towards the source. It was revealed to be Hidan, or rather, his decapitated head.

"You think you're so fucking smart, don't you? Well guess what: you're nothing but a giant, shit-for-brains dumbass if you think that was enough to kill me. You wasted a bunch of fucking swords to kill me; that's the very definition of stupidity, you fucking dumbass," Hidan taunted.

After Archer sneered at the talking head before speaking to it.

"You would defy me by living, mongrel?"

"Are you fucking deaf or something? I told you: I'm fuckin' immortal!"

Archer started to approach Hidan's head, intending to end the Jashin cultist. However, he stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Madara, who then spoke to him.

"We still need Hidan for our plans, Archer. Besides, you're wasting your time and energy; Hidan cannot be killed no matter how many times you attack him. It would be a waste of your abilities to try and kill him," Madara pointed out.

"Hm. You do have a point. Besides, I would not want to dirty my boots with the blood of a mongrel."

The servant then walked back to where he was as Kakuzu, Hidan's partner, picked up the cultist's head by his hair.

"Ow, ow, ow! That fucking hurts!"

"You whine about that, but don't even flinch when you get mutilated by multiple swords...?" Kakuzu commented to himself as he took his partner's head to his body.

Pein, meanwhile, watched and heard all of this with growing concern that, unbeknownst to him, mirrored that of a certain Toad Sage.

" _How have I never heard of this 'Holy Grail War'? How has Madara never heard of it? This can prove especially problematic for our goals, especially if a Jinchuriki has been chosen as a master in this conflict..._ " Pein thought to himself.

* * *

[Unknown Location, Land of Fire]

 _Meanwhile…_

Sasuke stared at the man kneeling in front of him, who then begin to address the young genin.

"Upon your summons, I have appeared. I ask of you, are you my master?"

"Ummm... yes?" Sasuke replied, unsure of what the man in front of him would do next.

The Servant suddenly stood up and looked down at his master. Sasuke idly noted that the man's eyes were a golden color.

"Good. Our contract is now complete. I am the servant Lancer. On my honor as a knight, I shall do my best to serve you and obtain victory in the Holy Grail War."

"Holy Grail War?" Sasuke questioned as Lancer raised an eyebrow at his master's question.

"You don't know of the Grail War, master?"

"No."

"Then I shall explain it to you," Lancer said as Sasuke raised up as hand, stopping him.

"Wait, my teacher should hear about this as well. I get the feeling this is going to be very complicated so he might know what to make of this," Sasuke said as Lancer gave him a nod in response.

"Very well. Lead the way, master."

The master and servant head off to where Kakashi was. A thought was going through Sasuke's head as the two traveled:

" _I don't know why... but I've got a bad feeling about this_."

* * *

[Konoha Hospital, Konohagakure]

 _Meanwhile…_

Hinata quivered in fear as the giant man in front of her bed continued to study her. He then suddenly asked her a question.

"Are you my master?"

"Ummm... I-I... yes?" the young girl squeaked out before she shrunk down in her covers, fearing what the man would do next.

What he did in response was to smile and reply to her.

"Then that means our contract is complete. I must admit, I did not expect my master to be a little girl."

Hinata simply blinked at what the man just said. She had been intimidated by his appearance, but was surprised by the friendly tone in his voice. She didn't lnow what, but there was something about the man that told her that he could be trusted. The man then introduced himself to the Hyuga Heiress.

"My name is Iskander, the King of Conquerors. In this war for the Holy Grail, I am serving under the Rider class."

Hinata looked at her servant in confusion. She tried to speak, but Rider beat her to the punch.

"Now then, I must ask you: do you know where your archives are? I must acquire maps."

Rider then looked at his master. The fear that was previously in her eyes was now gone, and it was now replaced with confusion. The young girl then spoke to her servant.

"W-why would you need maps?"

"It is because we are preparing for war. And one cannot wage war without proper maps or knowledge."

Rider then raised his eyebrow as Hinata suddenly gave off a few coughs.

"I'm sorry. I-I've been recovering."

"So you are sick," he suddenly concluded as he put a hand to his chin. What he said next surprised Hinata.

"You should come with me then. Some fresh air should do you some good."

Before Hinata could protest, answer back, or even register what he said, Rider gently picked her up and carried her out of the hospital. The giant man carrying a small girl gained several looks from nurses, doctors, and other patients, including one doctor who made several incorrect, though understandable, assumptions and was quick to call for "help."

* * *

[Konoha Archives]

 _A Few Minutes Later..._

Hinata sat at a table in the Konoha Archives while Rider went off to find his maps. She was currently thinking about the information that Rider had told her. On their way over to the library, Hinata had admitted that she knew nothing about the Holy Grail War. Rider had taken the time to explain the concept of the war to her. She was, not surprisingly, scared about the idea that she had been thrown into a battle royale for a wish-granting cup, but Rider assured her that he would protect her since "it is a King's duty to protect his subjects".

Hinata was broken out of her thoughts when Rider suddenly appeared and sat down next to her. In his hands was an atlas of the Elemental Nations. Rider then spoke to his master.

"I found the maps I was looking for," Rider said as he opened the atlas and flipped through it before speaking to his master.

"Now, from what the Grail has just informed me, I am in a world that is not my own. Therefore, these lands are unknown to me, and it will effect my eventual conquest. Now, can you tell me where we are on this map?"

Hinata nodded and pointed to where Konohagakure was on the map. Rider looked at where Hinata was pointing. He studied it for a bit. The way that the land was shaped reminded him of Asia. After a few seconds of silence, Rider let out a hearty laugh.

"BWAHAHAHA! The world is a much larger place than I imagined it to be. This shall make my conquest all the more enjoyable."

"B-but Rider-san, what about the Holy Grail War?"

"That's right, I nearly forgot about that," Rider said as he placed his hand on his chin before turning to his master.

"Speaking of the Grail, I have neglected to ask you one small thing: what will you do with the grail once you possess it?"

"Why do you ask?"

"It is because if you are also intent on world conquest, then that would make you my enemy. The world cannot serve two lords."

"I-I don't want that, Rider-san."

"Then what would you wish for with the grail?"

Hinata furrowed her brow as she thought about her wish. She thought about Naruto, the boy she admired. She could user her wish to win his heart over. But that would be too easy. She wanted to win over his love fairly, not manipulate him into loving her. She then spoke to her servant.

"I-I don't know want I would wish for. At least not yet."

"Hm, very well. I just hope that you will have decided your wish by the time we receive the grail," Rider said as he voice then took on a joking tone.

"Perhaps you can use the grail to get rid of that stutter of yours," Rider joked, causing Hinata blushed in embarrassment at this comment as Rider continued to study his maps.

Before they could continue talking, however, both of them were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hinata!"

The master and servant turned to see Kurenai, Hinata's jonin sensei, standing several yards away. She was staring at the large man who had apparently kidnapped her pupil from the hospital.

"K-kurenai-sensei!"

"Hinata, who is this man? I got contacted from the hospital about someone taking you."

"I can assure you, I do not mean the girl any harm. I just needed to her to show me to her archives."

"And who are you?" Kurenai asked as Rider introduced himself to the jonin.

"My name is Iskander, and I am this girl's Servant for the Holy Grail War."

"What are you talking about? What is this 'Holy Grail War'?"

"So you are unaware as well. Please take a seat, I have much to explain to you."

Kurenai, despite her suspicions, sighed before she took a seat to listen to what the King of Conquerors had to say.

* * *

[Somewhere Outside of Konohagakure, Land of Fire]

 _Back With Naruto, Saber, and Jiraiya..._

As these events were unfolding, Naruto, Saber, and Jiraiya were currently heading back to Konoha. Jiraiya had managed to convince Naruto to leave the matter of Saber's name for another time (though Naruto made it really clear he would not forget the issue and that he would come back to it).

At this point, the Servant of the Sword stopped and addressed the Toad Sannin.

"If you do not mind, can you tell us where we are going?"

"We're heading back to Konoha to meet with the Hokage, our village leader. He has to be informed of what's happening," Jiraiya answered as Saber frowned at what she heard.

"The Holy Grail War must be kept secret. It would be unwise to reveal it to othe-"

Before Saber could finish her sentence, she suddenly went still for a few seconds, as if she were processing something.

"What's wrong?" Jiraiya asked as Saber finally came back to reality.

"Forget what I was about to say. The Grail has informed me of the situation regarding your village."

"How the hell can it do that?" Naruto asked, bewildered at this revelation.

"I do not know the specifics, but we can discuss this at a later time," Saber said as the three of them continued to walk towards Konoha.

As she did so a slew of questions swirled around in her mind.

" _This doesn't make sense, though. Why is the Grail War now taking place in this alternate dimension instead of our own? Is this the Grail's doing? If so, what does this mean for the war?_ " Saber thought to herself as she realized something was wrong, even if she didn't know what that was.

* * *

[Unknown Location]

 _Elsewhere..._

Somewhere far from Konoha, and indeed the rest of the drama going on regarding the Grail War and shinobi matters, there stood an ancient "temple" hidden from the rest of the world. If someone from our world were to gaze upon the structure, however, one would be surprised to see that it did not take the form of a Shinto or Buddhist Shrine, as is the norm in this dimension, but instead look like an old cathedral that you would see in Europe.

That familiarity would probably also extend to the structure's interior, except for one major detail. While the decorative features, and most of the other interior features were there, the row upon rows of pews that are normally positioned positioned before the pulpit were strangely absent. In place of the pews, there was a massive circle etched onto the floor adorned with many intricate symbols. Along the rim of this circle there were 14 smaller circle separated into seven groups of two circles positioned evenly along the rim of the larger circle.

At the center of the larger circle there stood a black clay statue of a seemingly gender-less person whose hands appeared to grip the pommel of the hilt of a sword made of the same material that stood upright from the ground. The statue looked worn down and aged, giving the impression that it had been standing there for centuries; if such was the case, however, it would no longer be the case. For, at the same time that Naruto unknowingly summoned Saber, the statue began to emanate a glow that grew brighter and brighter until, after about an hour, there was a burst of bright light that enveloped the statue and the circle that stood around the statue. After about a minute or so, the light dispersed, revealing an intact circle... as well as person who now stood where the now missing statue had stood moments ago.

Said person was a young girl who appeared to be around the age of nineteen. She had a rather voluptuous figure, and had light blonde hair that was kept in a pony tail and amethyst colored eyes. She wore a very dark blue dress with black stockings and boots. Silver-colored armor covered her arms, her entire torso, upper thighs, as well boots which were simply armored boots. On her head was a silver headpiece that looked like an M and on the left side of her waist was a silver sword kept in a black scabbard.

The girl stood motionless, almost like the statue that once stood where did, with her head hanging downwards for a few minutes before she lifted her head up and turned to face the direction of the altar, his eyes narrowing at the brief glimpses of the circle she stood in the middle of.

" _So... I have been summoned here. It would seem the Grail has decided to hold the Grail War in this dimension. But why here? Why now?_ " the girl thought to herself.

The girl quickly shook off these thoughts before speaking to herself in a low voice.

"Regardless... I need to focus on the here and now. I'll wait for an hour before I make myself known," the girl said to herself,

The girl, having decided to wait for... something... she decided to kneel before the altar... and began to pray...

Next Time - A Meeting of Warriors! An Eighth Servant?!

 **A/N:** First off, I sincerely apologize for this massive delay in between chapters. The month after I posted the first chapter was when I started my Fall semester of college and that lasted until late December. Complicating that was my job hunt, and along with that there was me getting preoccupied with _Fallout 4_ and _The Witcher III: Wild Hunt_. However, I've finally been able to get the second chapter out.

Secondly, yes, the mysteriously girl at the end of the chapter is exactly who you think it is.

Also, I'd like to give a shout out to TenshinG, who was awesome enough to draw a doodle of Naruto and Saber for me. I'll post a link to it in my profile.

I have to admit that I don't think that this chapter is all that good, mainly because it's nothing but more set-up. But anyway, please leave a review, and I promise that the next update won't take eight months to complete.


	3. The Meeting of Warriors

**Fate/Zero Shinobi Chapter 3: The Meeting of Warriors! An Eight Servant?!**

 **Disclaimer** : I don't own _Naruto_ or the _Fate_ series, _Fate/Zero_ included. They are the respective properties of Masashi Kishimoto and Gen Urobuchi/TYPE-MOON.

Don't forget to fave, follow, and review.

* * *

[Underground Laboratory, Land of Sound]

 _Current Time..._

The many hidden laboratories of Orochimaru could be described in two words: drab and spartan. The room that he and Caster were in was mostly bare. In it was a bookshelf filled with notes and journals, a small table that had surgical tools and a tape recorder on it, and lastly, an operating table with an experiment subject on it. Said subject was a middle aged man. The man was vivisected, the skin of his torso stretched out and pinned to the table. The man's breathing was slow and his eyes stared at the ceiling, waiting for the sweet release of death.

"Interesting, very interesting," Orochimaru mused as he took in Caster's information about the Holy Grail War.

He had been taken by surprised when the mysterious, fish-eyed man had appeared in the Kazekage's office. He was then intrigued when Caster had proclaimed that he was his servant for the Holy Grail War. The Sannin had decided to wait for questions once they got out of Sunagakure. He initially thought that doing this with Caster would be difficult. However, the Servant of the Spell had demonstrated the ability to take on an invisible, incorporeal form, which made the escape go smoothly.

Orochimaru put his fingers to his chin as he thought about the Holy Grail War. He had never heard of a ceremony taking place every 60 years in which seven heroes fought for a single wish. However, this war could help him achieve his goals. If he won the Grail War, then immortality be within his grasp. It would make up for those years of fruitless searching and experimentation. He chuckled in glee at this realization.

Caster, meanwhile, blinked at the Sannin's laughter.

"What do you find so funny, master?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing," Orochimaru said as he dismissed his servant's concern. He then cleared his throat.

"Now, let's get down to business. I'd like you to demonstrate some of your abilities."

"What for?"

"It's simple: in order to win this war, I need to know what you are capable of."

"Very well," Caster said as he approached Orochimaru's subject. He then opened his tome and placed his finger on one of the pages. Caster then uttered a phrase from an ancient, alien language:

" _R'lyeh wgah'ngal fhtagn_."

With that, Caster closed his tome and gestured towards his master.

"Well, go on."

Orochimaru eventually understood what his servant wanted him to do and walked over to his experiment. He picked up a scalpel off the medical stand and twirled it in his hand. The Sannin leaned over him and began to cut out the man's heart, slowly cutting each artery. The man struggled and his eyes began to dart back and forth. He didn't even have the relief of screaming. Orochimaru had cut out his tongue, since he had found his cries of agony distracting.

After a minute or two, Orochimaru had finished cutting out the heart. He then picked up the organ and placed it on a kidney dish. The Sannin expected his subject would die quickly from the removal of his heart. However, to his surprise, the man was still alive.

"So that's what your spell did," Orochimaru commented as he turned to Caster, who had a small grin on his face.

"Indeed. I admit that I am fortunate to receive such an understanding master like yourself."

"Kukuku. You know... I have a feeling we'll get along swimmingly, Caster," Orochimaru commented as he went back to work on the subject.

The man's eyes widened as he saw the Sannin approach with a scapel. He now knew that he was in hell... and that there would be no escape.

* * *

[Hokage's Office, Konohagakure, Land of Fire]

 _Meanwhile…_

Naruto, Saber, and Jiriaya were now standing outside of the Hokage's office after getting back to Konoha. The walk through the village had been uneventful, except for Saber getting a few curious looks from the villagers due to her strange attire. Naruto and Saber stood by a wall as the Toad Sannin addressed the two.

"Alright, you two wait here. I'm going to explain things to the Hokage, and I'll bring you in when I'm done."

"Very well," Saber said simply as she stood still, ever vigilant. Naruto, meanwhile, crossed his arms as Jiraiya walked into the office. After a minute or so of silence, Naruto began to grow restless and then turned to his servant. She was staring out into space. The young shinobi decided to talk to her in order to kill some time.

"Hey. I have a few questions for you."

The Servant of the Sword then looked at the boy.

"Yes, master?"

Naruto's expression quickly became one of annoyance before he spoke.

"Ok, before I ask my actual question, would you quit calling me Master? I have a name, you know..." Naruto said rather bluntly.

Saber let out a sigh at this.

"Very well, I shall do as you ask. Your name is Naruto, right? Yes, I think that sounds most pleasing to me," she began rambling... to which Naruto narrowed his eyes to the point that they looked completely shut.

"What the hell does that even mean?" he asked, to which Saber shook her head before speaking.

"Never mind, Naruto. So what was it you wished to ask me?"

"Well, since you aren't going to tell me what your real name is for now, and don't think I'm giving up on that, than can you at least tell me who you were in life? Where you're from? What you did? Why you're here now?"

Saber pondered on these questions for a bit. According to the information that she had received from the Grail, her legend did not exist here, so Naruto would not know who she was. Therefore, unlike in her actual world, there was no one outside theother Servants who could learn about her possible weaknesses. Even then, they wouldn't know the identities of other Servants were unless they saw their Noble Phantasms or they learned it through other Servants and Masters telling them. So there was no harm in telling him a little bit about herself. In any case, she knew he'd probably learn sooner or later during his dreams. It was best to tell him some of her story now, especially given the clear trust issues already plaguing their partnership.

She took in a breath as she looked down at her master.

"Very well, then. I guess I can tell you some of the basics about myself. In life, I was the King of a land called Briton. I was the leader of a group of warriors called the Knights of the Round Table. Do you understand so far?"

"Mostly... so where is this Briton located? Is it far from here?"

"Not exactly, you see... Briton is no-"

Saber suddenly stopped when she noticed something near the end of the hallway, and looked towards it. Naruto followed her gaze and spotted it as well. At the end of the hallway were Sasuke and Kakashi, but there was a third person who Naruto was drawing a blank on. It was a handsome man who appeared to be in his twenties. He wore a dark green, sleeveless outfit, while his hands grasped two spears, one in each hand. A red spear wrapped in a purple cloth in one hand and a golden spear, also wrapped in a purple cloth, was in the other. Like Saber, he also appeared frozen in place, his gaze fixed on Saber as if he was taken aback by her presence as much as she was by his.

As the gears began to spin in Naruto's mind, Saber's mind was filled with alarm bells once she shook out of her stupor. Her mind began to race with thoughts.

" _Impossible! How did I not sense a Servant so close by?!"_

"Get back, Naruto!" Saber shouted as she suddenly got in front of the blonde shinobi.

Saber suddenly grasped her hands around the air, holding nothing but the wind. Lancer, meanwhile, had recovered from his shock at the exact same time as Saber. After positioning himself in front of Sasuke and Kakashi, the Servant readied his spears. Naruto blinked in confusion at Saber's weapon before snapping back to reality.

"Saber, what are you doing?!" he suddenly asked as the Servant of the Sword stared down at her opponent. She then gave a quick look back at her master before turning her gaze back to Lancer before answering him.

"It's an enemy servant. Stay back so I can engage him."

"Are you nuts?! We can't fight here; we're a bit crammed in here! And besides, my friend and sensei are with that guy, so they're not our enemies!"

"If that is the case, then my enemy is not your allies, but the servant. I promise that no harm shall come to them, but I must eliminate the Servant. Besides, a knight such as myself would never lower their weapon in front of an enemy," Saber said in rebuttal.

" _Oh, so she's is a fellow knight,_ " Lancer, who was silent during the argument between Saber and Naruto, thought to himself before arching his spear back.

He didn't expect to find another knight among the servants, much less finding one minutes after being summoned. While also troubled by the fact that he didn't detect his fellow Servant's presence until he was right in front of her, however, he considered this a blessing. As with any true knight, which he was though-and-through, he wanted to face a fellow knight in combat, and, regardless of the circumstances, a golden opportunity for such a battle had presented itself. He planned to make the most of it.

Lancer let off a smirk as he addressed Saber.

"Hm, I didn't expect to encounter another servant so soon, given the circumstances. It seems as though fate has brought us together, wouldn't you agree?" he said, to which Saber was quick to respond.

"Indeed, servant. Am I correct to assume that you're the Lancer-class Servant?"

"Yes... and, based on your stance, am I to assume that you're the Saber-class Servant?"

"Indeed, Lancer. You're quite perceptive if you can figure that out... all the more reason to settle this now," Saber replied as she braced herself for a fight.

"Very well, then. Let us engage." Lancer declared as he began to charge at Saber...

...only to stop dead in his tracks when he and Saber suddenly found themselves being blocked by their respective Masters, with Naruto facing Saber and having formed a hand sign while Sasuke stood before Lancer and holding up his hand as if to tell Lancer to stop.

"MASTER?!" was the only response, one that was said simultaneously, from both Servants.

Before this clusterfuck of a situation could get more tense, however, the standoff ended when a voice was heard from the other side of the hallway.

"Oho? What have we here?"

Everyone else turned their attention to the other side of the hallway. At the end were Hinata and her sensei Kurenai. However, what caught their attention was the person with them. He was a giant, standing at seven feet tall, with a muscular, chiseled body. He had a red colored hair and beard, and wore a strange looking bronze armor, which he complemented with greaves, cuffs, and a pair of sandals. On his belt in a scabbard was a short sword. However, the most notable thing about his attire was the red mantle he wore around his shoulders. It was majestic looking, with fringe along the mantle's collar and edges. Rider let out a huge grin as he looked at the two servants.

"Ha! I did not expect this! Servants, and two of them at that! An opportunity has presented itself!"

"R-rider-san, you aren't going to fight here, are you," Hinata asked hestitantly as the giant servant peered down at his master.

"Fighting them? Who ever said anything about fighting them?" Rider said as he looked back at the Saber and Lancer.

Hinata looked on in confusion at her servant's response. Rider then held up both his beefy arms as he addressed Saber and Lancer in a loud, hammy voice that Kakashi found all too familiar.

"Both of you, sheath your weapons! For you are standing in the presence of a king!"

" _…this guy was a king?_ " Sasuke thought to himself as he looked at Rider who continued speaking.

"My name is Iskander, King of Conquerors! In this battle for the Holy Grail, I am participating as the Rider-class Servant!"

Naruto, his fellow genin, and the other two Servants look on at the towering man in sheer bewilderment. Kurenai, meanwhile, looked on in curiosity while Kakashi let out a sigh at this display.

" _Good god, this guy is just like Might Guy..._ " Kakashi thought to himself, the man be unsure whether to feel at ease or to mentally groan in exasperation.

However, before Rider could go on and speak further, the door to the Hokage's office opened. Everyone turned their attention to door as Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, stepped out into the hallway. Alongside him were Jiraiya and his two advisors, Koharu and Homura. Sarutobi looked over the scene before him. He simply let out a sigh before addressing the three servants and masters.

"Hm, from what Jiraiya told me, I had a feeling that this would might happen." he said before turning his focus to the three Servants specifically.

"I assume you three are the Servants Jiraiya described?" he asked. Rider was the one to respond.

"Indeed... and who are you, sir?"

"I am Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage and leader of this village," he answered as he turned to Saber and Lancer.

"Now then, I'd appreciate it if you would cease with these hostilities before you end up destroying my office..."

Saber and Lancer looked at Sarutobi and then at each other. Realizing that, in this case, discretion really was the better part of valor, the two Servants reluctantly lowered their weapons.

* * *

 _A Few Minutes Later…_

Sarutobi sat at his office desk, smoking his pipe. In the room was Koharu, Homura, Jiriaya, Kakashi, and Kurenai, while Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata, alongside their respective servants, were waiting outside of the office. When his former student had arrived at his office and told him what had happened when he was training Naruto, he had trouble believing what was heard. It sounded absurd, with a mysterious girl in armor being summoned to fight in a battle royale that reoccurred every 60 years. However, when he went outside his office to see Naruto, he found the armored girl his student had talked about. Besides the girl were two other odd looking people. That had been enough evidence to convince him that the story was real. Now he had to decide what would happen to the servants. He puffed out a ring of smoke as he considered the available options...

...though, for one reason or another, he didn't take nearly enough time to consider those options if his next few sentences were any indication.

"Hm, this seems like far too dangerous for the three genin to handle. Perhaps we should just have the three order the servants to kill themselves," he said, scratching his chin as he did so, only for Homura and Koharu to immediately protest this idea.

"With all due, Hokage-sama, that is very foolish idea! Given the circumstances, it's too much of a risk to take such measures," Koharu said.

At this point, an unlikely person came to voice his agreement with the old advisers.

"I never thought the day would come where I would have to say this, but I agree with Homura and Koharu," Jiriaya said as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Really? Explain your reasoning," Hiruzen said, an eyebrow raised at this turn of events.

"The fact is, we only know of these three Servants. According to Saber, this Holy Grail chooses the Masters either at random or, at least, using its own criteria, regardless of who they are. There are four other possible participants whose identities are unknown. Not only that, Naruto and his friends there are probably better off with those Servants at their side given their circumstances," Jiraiya explained.

Hiruzen was about to question this before his old student, who already guessed the Hokage was going to say, beat him to the punch as he continued his explanation.

"For starters, Naruto is currently being targeted by the Akatsuki, that group I came here to warn you about, who seek the Nine-Tails sealed inside the boy. Sasuke, from what Kakashi told me, was just branded by Orochimaru's Curse Mark, meaning he's has taken a dangerous interest in him. And Hinata, while she doesn't have any immediate threats to worry about, is the Hyuga Heiress and is a possible target for some, like Kumo if the Hyuga incident is any proof. And that's not even going into the very real possibility that Orochimaru, a member of the Akatsuki, or any other of Konoha's enemies might have been chosen by this Holy Grail as Masters. All things considered, these three Servants might be useful allies for both dealing with these threats and for helping to better protect those three kids from those who would seek to harm them, whether those people are part of this Grail War or not."

"Jiraiya-dono is correct. You would do well to heed this counsel, both his and ours, Hokage-sama," Homura interjected.

After a few minutes of silence, Hiruzen finally spoke.

"Very well, then; you've made your point. So what did you have in mind, Jiraiya?" Hiruzen asked as his eyes, and those of everyone else in the room, turned their gazes towards the Toad Sage.

* * *

 _Just Outside Of The Office..._

As the adults discussed what they should do about this new situation, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata, along with their servants, stood outside of Sarutobi's office. They were all waiting for him to come out. The three genin stood together with their servants. Naruto, wanting to break the silence and make the wait shorter, decided to speak up.

"So... where were you when your guys appeared?" he asked as both Hinata and Sasuke looked at him.

The Uchiha clansman was the first to respond.

"I was taking a break from training with Kakashi-sensei when Lancer appeared."

"I-I was still resting in the hospital when Rider-san appeared," Hinata said before Sasuke asked the obvious follow up question.

"And where were you when it happened?" the Uchiha asked, to which Naruto, who began rubbing the back of his head, gave his answer to the other masters.

"I was falling down a ravine that Ero-Sennin pushed me into. He was trying to get me to learn to use the Summoning Jutsu under pressure. I tried to do it but instead of summoning a giant toad, a large smoke cloud and bright red light formed before she appeared. She then carried me to the top," he said rather sheepishly.

"…I had a feeling your answer would be something like that," Sasuke said with a sigh, though inwardly several thoughts raced through his mind.

" _If what Naruto says is true, then it's possible he might kick-started this whole thing, albeit accidentally. Lancer said this war took place every sixty years but, since no one seems to have heard about it and since it's obvious these guys are from another world, even if Lancer hadn't confirmed it when I asked him. That means someone or something, possibly this Holy Grail, choose to use Naruto's attempts to learn the Summoning Jutsu to allow these Servants to show up to fight here. If that's the case... why did it do that? What could this mean?_ "

Sasuke's speculations were cut short, however, when he was shook out of his thoughts by Rider when he yet again spoke in his usual boastful tone.

"Anyways, while we wait for your leader to answer, I suppose now is the best time to give you my generous offer."

"Generous offer?" Lancer questioned as the Rider spread out his arms as if he was going to embrace everyone else.

"Yes, Lancer; I was meaning to make my offer anyways and, since you and Saber are here now, it only makes sense that I make proposal now. My proposition is this: what say you relinquish the Grail to me and join my glorious and invincible army? If you forfeit your claims to the Grail, you would be treated as honored allies, friends, and brothers in arms! Together, we shall share the joys of conquering this brave new world!"

The three genin, yet again, looked on at the King of Conquerors in sheer bewildered confusion in response to the Servant's bold declarations. Lancer, on the other hand, simply shook his head before giving the Servant his answer.

"I'm afraid I must decline your offer, Rider. I admit that your offer is very tempting, but I made an oath to Master Sasuke that I would serve him and bring him the Grail."

" _Even though I never asked you to do so,_ " Sasuke thought to himself.

Saber, meanwhile, sighed before she gave her answer.

"Honestly, Rider, is that all to your proposition, mere promises of glory and boasts?"

"I'd be willing to discuss compensation," Rider said, deciding to compromise with his offer. Saber ignored this and continued with her rebuttal.

"Furthermore, I am the King of Briton, and not simply a knight of the realm. No matter how mighty a king you are, I would never lower myself to a retainer."

"Oh, you're the King of the Brits? What a surprise! I'd never expect the King of Briton to be a mere girl."

Saber tightened her fists and frowned at Rider's comment. As much as she'd love to give the King of Conquerors a taste of her blade, she knew that Naruto, and it seems everyone else in his village, would forbid it.

Thankfully, it Rider seemed to took notice of Saber's irritation and was quick to alleviate the tension before it led to any unpleasantries.

"I meant no offense to your office, King of Knights. Of course, seeing as how you are not inclined to accept my offer, might I ask why it is that you se-"

Rider was unable to finish his question before his, and everyone else's, attention turned to the door to the Hokage's office which just opened. Hiruzen stepped outisde along with Jiraiya and the genin's respective teachers/squad leaders.

"So you finally decided what we're going to do, old man?" Naruto asked as Sarutobi stood in front of them. A frown formed Saber's face, the girl being less than pleased with her master's rudeness, as Sarutobi gave his order.

"That I have. Naruto-kun... Sasuke-kun... Hinata-chan... for the time being, the three of you, along with your Servants, shall be allies for the forseeable future."

"Huh?!"

"After some insights provided by Jiraiya, I have reasoned that the best course of action is that the three of you will remain allies in this Holy Grail War."

Hiruzen then turned as addressed the three servants.

"As for your three, under no circumstances are you to attack each other. Once the four other servants have been defeated, we will decide what to do then. Do you understand?"

"Fine by me," Naruto said with a shrug.

"I-I do, Hokage-sama," Hinata said as Sasuke gave his answer.

"I understand," he said simply. The Hokage's thinking made sense. While he had a rather mixed opinion of his teammate, his servant, along with Hinata's servant, seemed rather powerful. Given the circumstances, this was the only way to prevent the three Servants from killing each other, their respective Masters, and possibility anyone in Konoha who might get caught in the crossfire.

Rider suddenly clapped his hands together.

"Splendid! It's not how I expected this to go, but it's better to fight alongside worthy comrades! Now that we are allies in this war, shall we get to know each other?"

Before any of the servants or masters could answer, all of them were suddenly bombarded with images, causing all of them to close their eyes.

* * *

When Naruto suddenly opened his eyes, he did not find himself in the Hokage's office. Instead, he founded himself on top of a stone pillar with Saber. They were in a void with a cloudy sky that seemed to stretch on forever. They were in a group of seven stone pillars that formed a circle. Sasuke and Lancer, along with Rider and Hinata, were each on a pillar. Standing on each of the other pillars were two people, totaling eight other people. Naruto couldn't make out any features on them, as their appearances were blackened out and obscured by shadows. Standing in the middle of the circle on a pillar was a blonde-haired girl dressed in an armored dress and an "M"-shaped headpiece, her left hand resting on the hilt of her sword while her right hand grasped a large banner. Naruto then turned towards Saber.

"So... what's going on? Where are we? Who is that girl? And why does she look so much like you?" he asked his servant, who seemed to be just as confused as he was.

"I do not know, Naruto," a stunned Saber said as the girl in the center began to speak.

"Greetings, fellow Servants and Masters. I am the servant Ruler, and I have been summoned by the Grail to act as mediator for the Holy Grail War of this world."

One of the servants covered in shadows began to speak up and addressed the now named Ruler.

"You dare call yourself Ruler in front of me, the only true King?" the shadow servant said accusingly. His voice sounded mixed and distorted, so Naruto could not make out what he truly sounded like.

"I see that your arrogance was not over-exaggerated by your legend. To be fair, while I am given the title of Ruler, I was not one during my lifetime; I was chosen by the Grail due to fitting the requirements for the class. I shall let your behavior slide this once. But be warned, Servant Archer, while many have tolerated your attitude in life and beyond, I shall not." Ruler said, causing Archer to scoff at this.

"You dare order me around, mongrel? You best pray I don't find you first or you will learn the consequences of your defiance."

"We shall see..." Ruler said rather ominously... only for Saber to interrupt with a question.

"Hold on, I have not heard of a Ruler-class Servant. Why appear now?" she asked, to which Ruler sighed before answering.

"Well, to answer your question, Servant Saber, normally a representative of the Church would act as an impartial mediator during a Grail War. Therefore, my class was not needed. However, there is no Church in the dimension that this War is taking place in. Because of that, the Grail has summoned me to act as the mediator and judge for this war."

"I see... so where are you currently located, Servant Ruler?" Lancer asked as Ruler turned her attention to the Servant of the Spear.

"I cannot tell you, Servant Lancer. However, if you are defeated in battle, I shall provide your Master sanctuary if they seek it. For now, I will leave clear marks of my presence wherever your Masters are based; should you or another of you fellow Servants fall, they only need to activate that mark to appear before me should they choose to seek sanctuary with me. I was going to explain the situation with the Grail in full but, from their silence, it's clear that you Servants have done well to explain what is going on. One more thing I must inform all of you, though... I am only the judge and mediator for the Grail War, but do not think me a mere spectator. Should I find it necessary, I will intervene against those who pervert the sanctity of the Holy Grail War," Ruler explained rather ominously, her eyes casting a stern glare towards two other shadows, who had been among those silent during the proceeding. She turned her body back to it's previous position and lifted her banner into the air above her.

"To all of you, Servant and Master alike. I wish you the best of luck in the Holy Grail War. I pray for the Lord to guide all of thee in this fight, whatever may come. Until we meet again, I bid all of you farewell," she said before slamming the bottom end of the pole holding the banner to the ground.

With that, a bright flash of light consumed them, causing both Naruto and Saber to cover their eyes.

* * *

When Naruto, uncovered them, he found himself back outside of the Hokage's office with Saber, Sasuke, Lancer, Hinata, and Rider. Both Jiriaya and Hiruzen were looking at the blonde in concern.

"Naruto, what just happened?" the Toad Sannin asked in concern. Naruto looked up at his teacher and answered him.

"We… just got contacted by another servant, Ero-Sennin. She calls herself Ruler."

* * *

[Underground Laboratory, Land of Sound]

 _Elsewhere..._

"Hm, that was quite unexpected. I see we have already earned the ire of this Ruler character," Orochimaru commented as he placed his bloody scapel down on his tray of surgical tools.

He and Caster were busy conducting an experiment on his test subject when Ruler had contacted the two. He found it strange that Caster never mentioned a Ruler class servant when explaining the Holy Grail War to him. He looked back at his servant, whose arms were at his side.

"You didn't say anything about a Ruler-class servant, Caster. You were silent even when she turned her gaze towards us," he said as the Servant of the Spell mumbled something, not paying attention to his master.

"Can it truly be? Has my wish come true?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Caster turned towards the Snake Sannin. Tears were leaking down his bulbous, fish-like eyes. He started to whimper before it turned into full blown shouting of ecstasy.

"IT IS HER! THE ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS! HER EXTRAORDINARY FACE! HER STRONG AND NOBLE BEARING! IT IS HER, THE MAIDEN OF MY DREAMS!"

"You know Ruler?" Orochimaru asked in curiosity, as Caster continued his gleeful ranting.

"I DO! SHE WAS FORSAKEN BY GOD! DIED IN ABJECT SHAME AND TERRIBLE LONELINESS! AND AT LAST, SHE HAS COME BACK TO LIFE! IT IS A MIRACLE!"

That ranting then turned into one of anger, as his fists tightened.

"AND THAT VILE ARCHER DARED MOCK MY HOLY VIRGIN, EVEN WHEN SHE SHOWED RESPECT TO HIM! HE WILL PAY FOR HIS ARROGANCE! HE WILL RUE THE DAY HE WAS EVER BORN!"

Caster's then devolved into a low whisper.

"Oh, my holy virgin, Jeanne. Soon, after I rain justice down on that fiendish Archer, I shall find you, and we shall be reunited."

Orochimaru smirked at this and let out a low chuckle.

"Kukuku. What an interesting development this is."

Next Time - Settling In

* * *

 **A/N:** And here is another chapter of _Fate/Zero Shinobi_!

I apologize sincerely about taking this long to update. I've been pretty busy with college, as well as working on some of my new fics. Seriously, I think George R.R. Martin writes faster than me. I've also been turned off from the _Fate_ fandom as of lately, since I've discovered that a lot of cunts can be in it (although to be fair, all fandoms have their fair share of cunts).

I admit that it was really fun to write the scenes between Orochimaru and Caster. Hell, Orochimaru himself is a pretty fun villain to write for. It just depresses me that a great villain like him is either the first person to get curb stomped in a Naru-Stu fic, or he ends up getting turned into a pedophile because of his canon creepiness (this is in spite of the fact that I view Orochimaru as asexual).

And I admit that the scene of Ruler contacting all of the servants was inspired by the last scene of the first episode of _Future Diary._ Namely, the part where all of the other diary holders are contacted by Deus Ex Machina.

And here is one of the few times that I address a review from the previous chapter. Namely, that of Thunder Dragon:

First of all, why would Naruto learn all of his canon abilities in this fic? That's just boring. As for Saber training him in swordsmanship, that is a definite, but is is still a long way off. However, when the sword training eventually comes, I'm going to portray the training process in a realistic light. Naruto isn't going to become a swordsman on par with Jaime Lannister after a few spars (like how I have seen in some fics). And as for Naruto getting a harem "in true Fate/Stay Night fashion", I have only three words to say about that: _**NO, NO, AND NO**_ _ **!**_

First things first, Shirou _never_ had a harem in the original visual novel. He only had a different love interest in each of the routes. Secondly, I have seen harems done in fanfics. Nine times out of ten, they are done poorly, and are just a sign of a power trip. And I don't mean to offend those who are fans of the harem genre. If you are, then more power to you.

Like I have said, earlier, I have worked on two new fics: _White Wolf and Red Hood_ , and _Into the Great Wide Open_. If you would be so kind to check them out, then that would be splendid.

I shall see you all next update, and I promise that it will be soon.


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